The world soccer governing body, FIFA, is now describing a U.S. $10 million payment by South Africa to members of its executive committee as a bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup.
FIFA effectively agreed with American prosecutors that the payment was a bribe when the body submitted papers to a New York court in a bid to reclaim money which it said was "pocketed illegally by corrupt FIFA members and other football officials.”
FIFA said that in 2004, Caribbean football boss Jack Warner and U.S. chief Charles Blazer were offered a bribe of $1 million by Morocco in an attempt to have the tournament awarded to North Africa. But Warner and his family had already established close ties to South Africa during that country's failed bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
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